Girls can’t code and my English sucks

Last week I had the exact same conversation four times. With four different WordPress developers. All women.

The topic: I want to publish code, discuss issues that matter, ask questions to core developers, blog, make some noise, contribute, but I’m to afraid to do that. It reminded me of myself.

What is the matter with us women? Why the self inflicted self pity and lack of confidence?

“I am not good enough, I don’t know enough, what if they think I’m stupid, my English really sucks.”

Do only female WordPress programmers think that way? Or are women and men with talent and knowledge all over the world hiding themselves, because they think they aren’t good enough? Sobbing under their desks, anxiously staring at the world, hiding from critisim and ridicule. What a waste of talent and possibilities!

So what are we afraid of, why sell we ourselves short?

Every contribution, blog post, piece of code you publish is valuable. Criticism is part of the job, learn from it, don’t hide, embrace it, it helps you getting better! Nobody makes fun of you when you want to contribute and do you best. You are most welcome!

Do you really think all the guys, that make so much noise, always write perfect code and never make mistakes? Hell no, just like you they work and learn, make mistakes, write bugs and try to improve themselves.

Exactly the same as you…

So girl: pull yourself together, put your teeth into it, jump in at the deep end. Study hard and publish what you found useful. Respect is not earned by sitting silently in a corner.

Show what you can do and be proud of yourself, and don’t be afraid to make a mistake. We are all human, boys and girls alike.